Made in Michiana: MudLOVE

When you first hear the name MudLOVE it may leave you scratching your head, but after a short explanation from Wright, it all becomes very clear.

"We’re going to start with mud because everything is handmade and we are going to end with love," said Wright. "As a Christian I felt like God actually called me to create a business greater than myself."

That call came after Wright struggled for a year to make a career out of a major in ceramics.

"I was making these bracelets one night in my shop and I kind of thought this might be something," said Wright. " So I made about a hundred of them and put them on the corner of my work table."

Each bracelet comes with a positive message meant to uplift those who wear them. It didn’t take long for people to take notice.

"I just kept making these things and people kept buying them," said Wright. "People would buy them and give them to their friends - who were maybe struggling or going through a trial in their life."

All 100 were sold in less than a week. Soon Wright outgrew the small Winona Lake garage he was working in. So he moved to downtown Warsaw where he now employs 60 people.

It’s not just bracelets anymore. Pottery of all kinds is being handcrafted with the same positive messages.

A percent of each piece sold helps provide water to underdeveloped countries in Africa through an organization called Water for Good.

"Each of those bands is one week of clean water for somebody and that’s huge," said employee Tanor Joy.

"In the world there is 663 million people without clean water," said Wright. " That’s a huge number. That’s hard for us to understand, because we can turn the faucet and water comes out -- where these people are walking to get water and a lot of them are women and children."

Wright himself was able to take a mission trip to the Central African Republic to see the need first hand.

He says, that left him more inspired than ever to continue this work and hopefully inspire others.

"We can’t solve all of the world’s problems, but we know we can make a dent and we just want to be creative in the way that we do that and fight back against brokenness in the world," said Joy.

Wright added, "We hope our product can be the type of gift that lifts spirits and provides hope and spreads love across the world."

Love that began with mud right here in Michiana.

For more information or to purchase some of their products, visit the company's website here.